


People Are Talking (Let 'Em Talk)

by thelilnan



Series: You're the Only Friend I Need [2]
Category: Catfish: The TV Show
Genre: Hot Tub, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Secret Relationship, Sexual Frustration, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 03:29:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1967319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelilnan/pseuds/thelilnan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Balancing a new, "secret" relationship and a non-stop reality tv career is hard. Max and Nev try to make the best of it but they're not exactly subtle. Nev especially.</p>
            </blockquote>





	People Are Talking (Let 'Em Talk)

It’s hard to let go completely after getting a taste of what they could have always had. It makes them realize they’ve wasted a lot of time by not trying it sooner—though Max tries not to think of trying anything when Nev was still a teenager. He’s just a few years older than him but thinking of kissing or touching teenage Nev, with all that unhindered energy and weird neuroses... It makes him feel like a dirty old man. But time has aged them both well enough and Nev is stable now and Max gets the feeling he was supposed to be here with him; that everything was supposed to be this way. The documentary, the fame, the show, the flippant decision to come along for the ride. It feels right.

Almost perfect.

There’s still the small matter of what the crew will think. Then there’s the bigger matter of what MTV will think. “Liberally minded” or not, it’s an American-based company and they both know what that can mean. So they keep their distance until they have that talk with the production team.

“They love our ‘bromance,’” Nev points out in the elevator. Max makes a face. He hates that term.

“You know how people get.”

“Yeah,” Nev looks up, “Can’t even say bisexual without a frown.”

“You think so?”

He nods, “I mean, we’re not even out.”

“I’m out.”

“Open isn’t out.”

Max frowns and takes Nev’s hand without looking. The discussion is put on hold.

—

Max almost suggests sneaking off to the bathroom once they’re on the airplane. He thinks better of it and plays with his phone instead, ignoring Nev’s foot pressing to the inside of his ankle. He spreads his leg a little though, acknowledging the gesture, and Nev smiles at the headrest in front of him.

“So that turned out _great_ ,” their producer, David, is across the aisle from Nev. His disdain for the lack of drama is evident but his voice is low enough so that Antoinette can’t hear him over the headphones she’s wearing. Nev flashes him an apologetic look.

“Lucky in love–”

“Unlucky in production.”

Max glances but continues playing with his phone.

“So we had a drama-free episode. I’m sure we’ll have more liars to catch,” Nev’s annoyance matches David’s, though they stand on opposite ends of the situation. David exhales and sits back to watch the in-flight entertainment rather than get into an argument about compassion vs. television ratings with Nev. Again. Max takes the opportunity to push up his arm rest and hold Nev’s hand as covertly as he can. Nev instantly brightens and laces their fingers together.

“That’s gay,” Max mumbles. Nev laughs behind his hand.

“Oh no, what’ll we do!”

“No homo,” Max declares solidly. Nev agrees and parrots him.

—

They don’t get to go home. They drop Antoinette off at her house, say their good byes and hug their hugs, then get another hotel to stay in until they find another lead. It kind of bums Max out until he realizes he’s got another few days alone with Nev, cameras optional. He wants to yell at the top of his lungs and kiss Nev right there but he settles for jumping his leg while the team drives to the next hotel.

“You okay there, Thumper?”

Max snorts and looks out the window, “I’m not a bunny.”

“You totally are. Guys, back me up.”

The crew agrees. Max is a little, grey bunny.

Max privately threatens Nev that he’ll prove himself worthy of that title tonight if he doesn’t knock it off. The mere thought of saying any of that riles Max up further and he’s bouncing both legs and staring out the window and wondering where the hell the hotel is.

—

Not all goes as planned. Max forgot how much the two of them have to run around, always filming and being filmed, even on days off. He doesn’t mind it usually; MTV can pay for his vacations and hotel rooms as much as they like. But he’d never been aware of how Go Go Go their lifestyle is until he wanted some alone time with Nev. He can’t get a second alone with him, without a camera or a chaperone always following them, and by the time they do get alone, it’s late and they are exhausted. And being that Max is Not a morning person and Nev is, they can’t even manage some morning fun, as much as Max might want to (but then morning comes and he ends up shoving Nev away in favor of five more minutes of sleep.)

He feels pent up. He knows Nev does too, judging by how often the other man “accidentally” touches his arm or grabs his shoulders or even lunges at him, playing it for laughs. “We’re so adorable!” Max wants to die.

“I’m gonna die,” Max pulls Nev into a hallway when the crew runs through the filming schedule. Nev laughs and boxes Max against the wall with his arms and a firm look.

“You’re not going to die.”

“I will if you keep touching me like that.”

“I can’t help it,” Nev is quieter, leaning close, “You’re my fluffy bunny.”

Max hates the way he blushes; the way Nev’s lips graze his. He pulls on Nev’s sweater, “ _Seriously_ , Nev.”

Nev kisses him and it’s too brief for Max’s liking. He pulls away too soon; they have to rejoin the group. Max wants to scream. Getting involved with your best friend is always stupid, obviously, but this is torture, pure and simple. Max watches Nev walk away with the crew, hears him call for him, and follows.

It’s monumentally stupid.

—

And monumentally obvious.

The crew knows. Max pretends he doesn’t know that they know. Nev ignores it and continues to hold his hand under the table and sneak kisses around hallway corners. But he sees it in the way Dave points and mumbles about them, sees it in Eddie’s grin behind the camera. They see it in Max’s reddened complexion and distancing from Nev but it never helps. Nev is an affectionate puppy and Max is his favorite toy.

Max finds distraction from his embarrassingly life in their newest star, Miranda. She’s been strung along by Cameryn—well, _James_ —for three years now and still doesn’t know if it’s really him. Max feels bad for her but it’s another job, more to do, and he’s just going through the motions now. Miranda herself is nice enough, so that keeps his mind off things. They talk between takes, when Nev is outside.

“Are you two dating?” she asks quietly and he can tell she feels awkward asking. He can feel his cheeks flush and he fiddles with his handheld.

“Uh, not really.”

“I-I’m sorry, it’s just that. I thought. I’ve just been watching the show for so long and I thought...”

Max clears his throat, “It’s fine. Most people think that.”

Nev comes back in and sits too close and Max can’t breathe for a few minutes. The crew keeps their cameras off of them, even when Nev puts his hand too close to Max’s knee.

The line is starting to blur.

Max thought he knew where it was before. The little bit of flirtation to fuel that ( _Ugh,_ Max thinks) bromance. It’s safe, it’s marketable, it’s a profitable No Homo. It’s perfect, up until the part where they’re both bisexual and now in a very sexual relationship. The line has blurred and Max isn’t sure that corporate will be on board.

It had been so easy before now. While he is and always had been bisexual, he’d always preferred women anyway and never actually dated a man before. Nev is a different story (isn’t he always?) Nev loves people _,_ plain and simple. Most people don’t get it. Max knows MTV probably won’t. And like it or not, that bridge is coming up fast and is going to be crossed. He’s not looking forward to it.

It’s a lot to deal with. It’s too much on his mind, none of which can be sorted out until some indefinite date later. He thinks that’s what triggers it when Nev grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him closer than they’ve been in weeks. Too much stress, too much to think about, not enough release in far too long and Max is accidentally blurting out everything he’s thinking about.

“I don’t like it when you pull me close to you.”

He does.

“I don’t like feeling your warmth.”

He needs it.

“Or the hair on your chest.”

Too far.

Way too far.

He knows it as soon as he says it but everything is quiet and dramatic for the reveal of whose phone number Miranda had really been calling. Max freezes all over but the moment passes. God, Dave has this stupid look that he can see from the corner of his eye. He wants to punch him in the face. He wants to pull Nev upstairs and fuck the daylights out of him. He wants a million things but has a job to do and he does it. He’s a professional, no matter what anyone says.

They get their info on James and call it a day. Max sticks around in the breakfast area to grab some more cookies. He needs them.

“You always stuff your face when you’re nervous,” Nev mentions and Max calls it a coincidence that he’s got a full cookie in his mouth and two in his hands.

“Do not.”

Nev smirks and kisses the crumbs off his lips. Max tries to push him away but it’s a half-hearted attempt. Nev ignores him and nips the opposite corner of his mouth and Max is weak. He leans in.

“So much for Mr. Ice Man,” Nev teases because he’s a fucking tease. Max shoves another cookie into his mouth and stomps off to the elevator banks. They’re not done yet. They have to report their findings to Miranda and make a game plan. Max is so tired.

“Please kill me,” Max says into his handheld at a _Blair Witch_ angle. The plea sounds less dramatic through a mouthful of cookies.

—

The flight to Atlanta isn’t exactly noteworthy. Max is hounded by the crew and Nev bonds with Miranda. She sits between them on the plane and Max sits in the back when they go to the hotel. Everything feels like a routine. They walk her to her room and wish her a good night but when they begin to head for their own, David stops them.

“Hey, uh,” he glances between them and exhales sharply, like a laugh, “Look, we’re sorry for giving you the run around. Everyone is. And I pulled some strings with MTV and the front desk and we got you a better room.”

Max frowns, confused. Nev does the thing with his eyebrow before Dave speaks again, “Seriously. You guys deserve it. Consider tonight your night off.”

It’s weird but Max doesn’t protest any kind of vacation. They head to their room and immediately learn the meaning behind Dave’s otherwise confusing blessing. The room holds a single but enormous bed, a gorgeous view of the golf course out back, and an in-suite hot tub with inlaid steps pillared by white columns. Max and Nev stand together in the hallway of the room, gawking, and absolutely mortified by their gift.

“Holy _shit_ ,” Max runs a hand over his reddening face. Nev wanders vaguely towards the bed and sets his luggage on top of his side. The left side.

“Well,” Nev is quiet, “We weren’t being subtle.”

“They got us a fuck room!”

“They got us the honeymoon suite.”

It’s somehow worse.

Max excuses himself to the bathroom to sit on the floor for a couple minutes. Nev takes he opportunity to turn on the tub and watches the jets hum to life. The water quickly turns into a turbulent bath and begs Nev to come, sit, _relax_. Well, they have the night off...

He knocks once on the bathroom door, “Max, you want dinner?”

“Where?”

“Room service.”

“... Yeah. Steak.”

“Wine?”

“Sure.”

“... How long are you gonna be in there?”

Max, unseen, rubs his face but his laugh is heard. Nev smiles and touches his forehead to the door.

“You know I’m... reserved.”

“I know.”

“It’s overwhelming...”

“Yeah. Well, I’ll underwhelm you any time you need it.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

They both laugh but Max decides to stay in the bathroom and cool down until after Nev orders their food. When he does reemerge, the room feels warmer. He’s pretty sure it’s not just from the sight of Nev sitting on the single, king sized bed, meant for the two of them. Pretty sure. A quick glance at the hot tub confirms his suspicion; while not currently on, the water is still lazily rippling, suggesting it had just been turned off. He looks back to Nev and quirks his eyebrow.

“We got our night off.”

“Yeah,” Max wanders toward the bed and Nev swings his legs over the edge of the bed, facing him. Max stops just out of arm’s reach.

“Thought we could do something extra couple-y.”

“You and David.”

Nev pulls him close and lets him stand between his legs, cupping his face. Max allows himself to be pulled down, to touch his forehead to Nev’s, to breathe for a second. His hand overlap Nev’s on his face and they’re quiet for a long moment. This what he’d been wanting. To just _be_ with Nev. It feels like heaven. Even better when Nev kisses him, long, slow, like they have all the time in the world, and it clicks with Max then that they essentially _do_. He groans and falls against him, knocking them both onto the bed, and Nev giggles into his mouth.

“There’s my Maxie.”

“Shut up,” he grins back and sucks on Nev’s lip. They don’t talk for long minutes, just taking their time enjoying each other. Then there’s a knock on the door and Max jumps off of Nev like he’s on fire. Nev laughs.

“It’s room service, bunny.”

“I’m _not_ a bunny.”

“You hop like one.”

“M-maybe I’ll fuck you like one!” The comment bursts out of him before he can stop it, just as Nev opens the door. He chooses to remain hidden behind the wall as Nev brings their dinner in and makes small talk with the hotel staff (while sort of apologizing for the outburst of his “friend.”)

“You are full of surprises, Maxwell Joseph,” Nev says as he wheels the cart of food toward the bed. Max sits on his side—the right side—and Nev serves him with a deep, courteous bow.

“Monsieur, your dinner.”

“Well _merci_.”

They kiss and help themselves to their food while they watch television. Nev has control of the remote and picks some shitty SyFy movies Max couldn’t care less about. All that matters is that his food is good and he has Nev beside him to snark at the terrible CGI and cliché plot. It’s pretty much the perfect date, without all the formalities of a real date; no button-downs or ties, no restaurant code by which to abide, no pricey meals and expensive wines. Max figured that’s how it would’ve gone if he’d actually asked Nev (or vice versa) instead of letting designer drugs take the wheel. But things are what they are and Max can’t complain. Nev’s got an arm around his shoulders and he’s got a belly full of good steak and wine. He feels... 

Happy.

Setting his plate aside, Max snuggles into Nev and lets himself just _be_. Nev pets his hair and holds him and it isn’t long before Max is fighting sleep. He almost lets himself doze off before he remembers that this is the one day they’ve had in weeks that they’ve been able to be together, no cameras, no crew, and now he’s going to ruin his chance to have sex with Nev again because he’s falling asleep at 8pm??

‘ _No_ ,’ he whines internally, ‘ _No, no, not fair! This is your chance, you can’t ruin it by being a fucking old man_ —’

Nev kisses his neck and Max whines _loud_ , startling the other man.

“Whoa there, buddy. Is your neck like... _An area_ for you?”

“What? Shut up,” Max takes Nev’s plate and turns to him, “I was just... Ugh, we never get time together when we’re not exhausted from running around being puppets. But I started falling asleep because I’m old or whatever and I didn’t want to ruin any chances of...”

“Fucking like rabbits?” Nev grins. Max shoves his chest, “Don’t worry, bunny, I’ve still got plans. And you’re not old.”

“Thanks—”

“You just _look_ like a grandpa,” Nev laughs. Max punches him in the arm.

Suddenly, Nev climbs out of bed with energy that surprises Max and pulls off his button-down in a swift motion. Max watches, half-hypnotized by the long, lean, caramel colored torso presented, absolutely _covered_ in thick, black hair. He’s seen Nev shirtless plenty of times over the decades they’d known each other but he’s never felt this. This raw lust that kind of scares him. Even the ridiculous amount of chest and stomach hair is doing it for him and Max has to take a minute and close his eyes. Because _fuck_ , when has body hair ever done it for him until now? But it’s _Nev_ and he’s laughing and pulling him to his feet and Max grins because Nev’s laugh is infectious. Nev pulls Max’s shirt off for him and tells him to get in the hot tub.

“I didn’t bring shorts,” Max says dumbly. Nev hooks his fingers into the loops of his jeans and tugs.

“So we won’t wear any.”

Max exhales hard and closes his eyes, “Dude.”

“Yeah?”

“I wanna fuck you so bad.”

“You will,” Nev promises with a kiss and they both get ready for the tub. Nev takes a second to fill two wine glasses as Max climbs in gingerly, groaning at the soothing warm and settling in up to his shoulders.

“Oh my _God_ , thank you MTV.”

“I’m so happy we live in a world where we can say that sincerely.”

Max grins and sinks down into the water to his chin, “Experience it for yourself, dude.”

Nev perches their wine glasses on the edge and follows his orders, sitting next to Max with a jet pulsing into the small of his back. He groans, throws an arm around Max’s shoulders, and melts into the water alongside him.

“Yeah this... This is good.”

They clink glasses and drink as sore muscles are soothed by the gentle currents and each other’s embrace. Max drinks himself into a pleasant buzz while Nev absently plays with his hair. It’s nice. It’s _so fucking nice_. Max feels truly happy for the first time in weeks, surrounded by Nev and the relaxing jets of the tub, filling up on wine. It’s good. Max sets his now-empty glass aside and turns to Nev, who’s still watching the horrible movie on the tv. Max sneaks a kiss just under his ear, making the other man choke slightly on his wine. Max pulls back and takes in the foreign sight of Nev blushing and avoiding his eye.

“Is _your_ neck an ‘area,’ Yaniv?”

Nev laughs, albeit uneasily, “A-ha, kind of. Yeah.”

“Interesting...” Max takes a chance and swings his leg over Nev’s hips, straddling him and sloshing water over the sides of the tub. Nev has this eager, half-terrified smile as he looks over Max’s body, breathing already picking up. Max brackets the other man’s head with his arms and goes in for a kiss. He tries not to rush it but he hasn’t been able to do more than cuddle with Nev for _weeks_. He gets hard embarrassingly fast and has to pull back after a minute or two. He exhales and rubs his face.

“You’re so cute,” Nev coos, even while reaching under the water to stroke Max’s erection. The older man shudders and bows his head, letting Nev do as he pleases.

“I’m not cute,” Max grits out as Nev rubs his thumb slowly over the head, “I’m... _Oh_... I’m.”

“Adorable,” Nev kisses him and Max crumbles.

“You do _not_ call someone adorable when you’re jerking them off!”

Nev just laughs and tightens his grip and Max is absolute putty. He spends a few ( _maybe_ ten) minutes torturing him before Max counters with a swift, biting kiss to his neck. Nev jolts, grip faltering, and releases a broken, helpless moan. Max continues sucking until he feels Nev’s erection pressing against him and Nev is squirming.

“O-okay,” Nev pants, grabbing onto Max’s hips, “Bed. Bed time now.”

“I’m not sleepy,” Max grins but Nev, for once, has no time for jokes. He grabs Max’s face and kisses him breathless, “Mm! Nm... O-kay...”

“Good boy. Go get in bed.”

Max does _not_ moan at the epithet. He hates weird kinky shit like that and absolutely is _not_ anyone’s ‘good boy.’ Still. He follows Nev’s ‘orders’ a little too eagerly for his own liking, but before he knows better, he’s dried off and in bed, waiting for Nev. ‘ _Not waiting_ ,’ he corrects himself, ‘ _Just. Ready. No. Fuck!_ ’ Nev’s grinning at him and climbing in between his legs like he’s meant to fit there. Max wants to die a little at the way Nev looms over him, grinning wide and excited and _pleased_.

“ _What_.”

“I should’ve been calling you my good boy for years. You actually listen to me now.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Ooh!” Nev settles onto his elbows, bracketing Max’s head and getting close, close, _close_ , “Maybe you’re a _bad_ boy.”

Max whimpers as Nev brushes his mouth against his cheek, “Don’t do that.”

“Are you a _bad boy_ , Maxie?”

Max’s cock begins to leak pre-cum. He’s so hard it hurts. Nev is kissing down his jawline and Max nearly stops him before he gets to his ear but he can’t find his voice before it’s too late. Then he’s moaning openly and arching as Nev licks from the lobe to the helix, his hips bucking on the bed. God damn. God _damn_. ‘ _Why’d he have to go for the ear??_ ’

“Wow,” Nev breathes, “Someone’s eager...”

“They’re really sensitive!” Max sputters, hand pressed to Nev’s chest. Nev licks again and has Max incoherent in less than two seconds. He’s squirming and moaning uncontrollably, head filled with the deafening sounds of Nev’s breath huffing against his ear, and he’s entirely powerless to stop it. His ears had always been sort of a weak spot for him. Ticklish and weird and always the quickest way to rile him up. It’s privileged information and the key to absolutely _wreck_ him, full stop. And now _Nev knows_. Max nearly sobs.

He doesn’t want it to stop, of course, even as he pleads for Nev to do so. He’s delirious and just wants to come but after weeks of nothing more than pathetically masturbating in the shower, he wants more than just his _ears_ to push him over the edge. He explains this all to Nev, who is, of course, very understanding and receptive.

“So what do you want, bunny?” he kisses him slowly before giving him air to answer. Max huffs and shoves at him.

“Stop calling me that.”

“Never,” Nev grins and Max falls in love more than he would like. He sighs and kisses him again, running his hands through the other man’s chest hair and over his shoulders.

Kissing Nev isn’t like kissing other people. Of course, everyone is unique and everyone feels and tastes different but then there’s Nev. Nev stands apart from other people. He kisses like it’s the only way to communicate the depth of his feelings. He kisses as if he were speaking from the heart; as if it’s the only way to pour his love into someone else. It’s slow and deliberate and thorough and it almost feels like worship. He appreciates Max’s entire being through slow kisses and licks until Max is gasping through his nose and holding on tight. Nev is _overwhelming_ him with love and Max wants to scream.

“Iloveyou,” he gasps against his lips, before he can stop himself. It doesn’t matter; he knows Nev loves him back and he’s quickly realizing he may actually mean it. He doesn’t want to analyze it now, not when Nev is pressing him down into the mattress and kissing him until he forgets his own name.

“I love you too,” Nev responds but it’s unnecessary. Max just whimpers and ruts his hips up, needing more contact, more friction, more everything of Nev. He rolls the two of them over, straddling Nev’s skinny hips once again, but this time he demands control. Nev lets him have it, grinning. Max kisses the smirk off his lips

Then they’re grinding in a rough rhythm and Max is beginning to lose control all over again. He can feel himself getting close to the end but it’s too soon. It can’t just be him. He wants Nev to lose control along with him. In a desperate move, he bites Nev’s neck and tangles his fingers in his short hair to drag him down with him. Nev cries out this broken, _ruined_ noise, arching his back sharply, and comes between them. ‘ _Not fair_ ,’ Max petulantly bites and sucks at the base of Nev’s throat, hips bucking erratically in protest until Nev reaches between them and strokes him. Then Max melts and lets his head fall back, groaning in relief.

“Naughty bunny,” Nev’s voice sounds raw beneath the loud, panting sounds Max is making.

“That doesn’t make sense,” he quips, breathless. He can’t hide the way his cock twitches at the scolding, however. He winces.

“You’re still a bad boy, at any rate,” Nev licks his lips and swallows around a dry throat. His free hand snakes around the back of Max’s hips and finds the cleft of his ass, curious fingers searching and pressing in. Max jolts, crying out in surprise.

“H-hey!”

“You liked it last time.”

Max has no defense. He just shivers and moans and lets Nev tease him until he’s a shaking mess, sweating and bowed over the younger man. Between the hand on his cock and the fingers pushing into him, he’s left with little option but to submit and enjoy himself. He gasps for air and pants Nev’s name over and over, feeling climax quickly approach.

“Are you gonna come, Maxie?”

He hates the way he moans but he can’t help it. He closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to see Nev’s smug grin, “Y-yeah...”

Nev bites his own lip, presses deeper, grips him tighter, and Max actually yells as he comes. He tries clasping a hand over his mouth but it does little to muffle him; it’s too intense. Nev watches him completely lose control and he feels absolutely intoxicated by the sight. Max is always so reserved and controlled; the calm voice of reason or cynicism to counteract Nev’s manic optimism. Watching him now, shaking and gasping, overcome by pleasure, is one of the most incredible things Nev’s ever seen. He tries prolonging it as much as he can, fingering and stroking him until Max whines and twists away, then collapses on his chest as a boneless heap. Nev goes from lust to adoration in an instant, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close.

Max pants against his neck quietly, well and truly fucked out. Nev steals the opportunity to cuddle and love on him, sucking gentle kisses into his neck and over his shoulders. It’s nice; the after-care. Max finds himself almost dozing off yet again. To combat this, he props himself up, ready to snark at Nev all cool-like, but notices a distinct _tackiness_ between their chests. He and Nev share a brief, confused look before Max sits up and they realize their semen has stuck their bellies together. It’s too late for Nev; the stick pulls at the hair on his stomach and he yelps loudly at the sharp sting.

“Shit!” Max flaps his hand awkwardly but the damage is done. Nev groans and rubs over his stomach. Still sticky, still hairy, but stinging.

“... Maybe we should take a shower,” Max meekly suggests. Nev nods but only rolls over, pulling Max back into his arms. There’s no urgency between them now, Max realizes. They have all night to do whatever they want. He actually starts laughing at the realization, excited and eager for every single minute he has with Nev.

“Is this what you’re like after you get laid?” Nev asks, watching and beaming at Max like he’s... Well, in love. Max stretches, still manic, and sits up on the mattress. His hair is wilder than usual—he sees this in the mirror on the opposite wall—but it’s nowhere near how he feels at this moment.

“Dude, it’s not even 10pm,” Max turns and flashes a wide, excited grin. Nev does his Eyebrow thing and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Big plans, bunny?”

“Yes,” Max crawls up and looms over him, predator-like. The image is ruined by Nev’s quiet giggling and slight lip biting. Max puts on his serious face and tries again, “I’m going to fuck you. All night.”

“Well I welcome that,” Nev trails his fingertips up Max’s stomach, “Let’s start in the shower.”

—

A knock startles Nev out of bed. Max is bundled under the covers, only the tips of his salt-and-pepper hair showing from under the thick, white quilt on top of him. Nev grabs his boxers from the hot tub’s rim and stumbles to answer the door. It’s David, already dressed for the day, and he’s grinning far too wide for this early.

“Hey there, tiger.”

Nev coughs and rubs his eyes. It’s as close as he gets to laughing, “Morning.”

“We’re gonna start shooting day two in an hour. Is Max up?”

They both know the answer. A soft snore is evidence enough.

“Mm. No.”

“How late did you stay up?”

“Not... _That_ late...” In reality, it was probably sometime well after midnight. Things had gotten a little more out of hand than either had intended, including some light bondage and loose role play scenarios that still make Nev blush. The two had collapsed in a sexed-out and more than slightly drunk heap and that had been the end of that. Nev thought through all these things, blushing and avoiding David’s eye, and that was enough for their producer to piece things together.

“Well, I’m happy for you two. But keep it professional on-camera.”

“But we’re so adorable together,” he grins sleepily, “I think everyone would really—”

“We can talk about it later, okay?”

The grin disappears. Max was right. Nev does that Eyebrow Thing and scratches his chest, “Fine. We’ll be down for breakfast soon.”

“Alright, see you then. And good luck waking the bunny up.”

The minor victory in his nickname catching on gives Nev the strength to attempt waking the beast. As always, it’s a pain, but he finds Max is more receptive when he sucks his cock. Well, receptive isn’t the right word. Pliant. Needy. An absolute, shaking mess. Max writhes and gasps awake, grasping blindly between his legs until his fingers tangle in Nev’s short hair. Nev pulls away with a long lick and Max whines like he’s dying.

“Morning.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” is Max’s first word of the day.

—

They arrive downstairs, dressed and otherwise nondescript, an hour later. Max goes straight for the coffee while Nev sits down with the crew and Miranda, who’s still in her pajamas. Even then she looks amazing and Nev tells her as much. She blushes. It’s obvious she doesn’t get as many compliments as she deserves. As he’s talking with her, he notices a weird look in her eye; a gesture with her hand to her neck. Nev touches his own and she nods.

Everyone sees it.

“We’ll have makeup cover that,” Dave quickly interjects. Nev’s eyebrow twitches.

Max brings them both coffee and waffles and Nev casually puts his arm over the back of his seat. They’re off-hours so it doesn’t matter if they’re subtle or not; everyone who ever watched the show assumes they’re together anyway. The crew knows. Miranda knows. But _MTV_ in its infinite logic doesn’t want to confirm it. Nev knows that discussion is going to come up by the end of the shooting season. For now, he buries a hand in the back of Max’s hair and has breakfast with the crew and hopes the day turns out well.

Seeing the way Max smiles out of the corner of his eye reassures him that everything’s going to be fine.

 

 End.


End file.
